Convention & Visitor Bureau
Angela Knapp Eggers, Chair
The Amarillo travel and tourism industry annually generates more than $900 million in direct spending to the local economy. It is one of the city’s largest industries, serving nearly 2 million overnight visitors last year. The Amarillo Convention & Visitor Bureau (CVB), its committees and its local partners work together to welcome all our visitors.
The CVB is funded exclusively by dedicated Hotel Occupancy Tax within the City of Amarillo and is an independent organization as of October 1, 2020, is no longer under the Chamber of Commerce and City of Amarillo umbrellas.
The Communication Committee advises and oversees the development of marketing programs and advertising strategies to promote Amarillo. This includes outdoor advertising, monitoring editorial and media coverage, print ads, special promotions and internet marketing. The CVB maintains a popular website, www.VisitAmarillo.com, that brings the world to Amarillo. The CVB produces a consumer-oriented Amarillo Visitor Guide and a Visitor Map, which are distributed all over the world. A static visitor information counter is maintained at the Rick Husband Amarillo International Airport. The Convention and Tourism Committee helps develop strategies to promote tourism and convention business by identifying domestic and international target markets. Promotional materials and specialty advertising program developed by the CVB aid in its active solicitation and bidding efforts to bring conventions, meetings, technical and leisure group tours of all sizes to Amarillo.
CVB staff work with individual conventions on pre-meeting planning, coordination and publicity while providing registration assistance through nametags, literature, maps and promotional items. Certain meetings qualify for transportation and housing assistance.
The Amarillo Film Commission has been part of the CVB for over 20 years. The Amarillo Film Commission is a nonprofit organization that promotes Amarillo to the film industry. The commission develops, produces and distributes a biannual Film Production Directory, acts as liaison between local production professionals and outside production companies, and co-ops with the Texas Film Commission on trade shows and promotions.
CVB staff works closely with the Amarillo Civic Center Complex to host events each year, from small reunions to large national conventions. One of the best municipal civic centers for a city the size of Amarillo, the civic center is over 400,000 square feet, giving CVB staff more options to pursue conventions and meetings for the city.
CVB staff also works with the Tri-State Fairgrounds to attract major events, such as the Cowboy Mounted Shooting Association Finals, and other equine and cattle shows, competitions, rodeos, and western events to the Amarillo National Center.
The Arts Committee is an advocate for the local non-profit arts organizations. It coordinates the annual Golden Nail Awards that recognizes local and area individuals, businesses, foundations and volunteers who support the fine arts. The Arts Committee also provides financial assistance to local non-profit arts organizations. It sponsors a matching advertising program and maintains an arts events calendar. The Arts Committee manages an Art Airport Program on behalf of the City of Amarillo. The program invites artists to display works of art in the Rick Husband Amarillo International Airport terminal building and grounds. The Arts Committee co-sponsors the annual Jazztober Concerts held on Tuesdays in October on the Chamber grounds.
The Amarillo travel and tourism industry annually generates more than $900 million in direct spending to the local economy. It is one of the city’s largest industries, serving nearly 2 million overnight visitors last year. The Amarillo Convention & Visitor Bureau (CVB), its committees and its local partners work together to welcome all our visitors.
The CVB is funded exclusively by dedicated Hotel Occupancy Tax within the City of Amarillo and is an independent organization as of October 1, 2020, is no longer under the Chamber of Commerce and City of Amarillo umbrellas.
The Communication Committee advises and oversees the development of marketing programs and advertising strategies to promote Amarillo. This includes outdoor advertising, monitoring editorial and media coverage, print ads, special promotions and internet marketing. The CVB maintains a popular website, www.VisitAmarillo.com, that brings the world to Amarillo. The CVB produces a consumer-oriented Amarillo Visitor Guide and a Visitor Map, which are distributed all over the world. A static visitor information counter is maintained at the Rick Husband Amarillo International Airport. The Convention and Tourism Committee helps develop strategies to promote tourism and convention business by identifying domestic and international target markets. Promotional materials and specialty advertising program developed by the CVB aid in its active solicitation and bidding efforts to bring conventions, meetings, technical and leisure group tours of all sizes to Amarillo.
CVB staff work with individual conventions on pre-meeting planning, coordination and publicity while providing registration assistance through nametags, literature, maps and promotional items. Certain meetings qualify for transportation and housing assistance.
The Amarillo Film Commission has been part of the CVB for over 20 years. The Amarillo Film Commission is a nonprofit organization that promotes Amarillo to the film industry. The commission develops, produces and distributes a biannual Film Production Directory, acts as liaison between local production professionals and outside production companies, and co-ops with the Texas Film Commission on trade shows and promotions.
CVB staff works closely with the Amarillo Civic Center Complex to host events each year, from small reunions to large national conventions. One of the best municipal civic centers for a city the size of Amarillo, the civic center is over 400,000 square feet, giving CVB staff more options to pursue conventions and meetings for the city.
CVB staff also works with the Tri-State Fairgrounds to attract major events, such as the Cowboy Mounted Shooting Association Finals, and other equine and cattle shows, competitions, rodeos, and western events to the Amarillo National Center.
The Arts Committee is an advocate for the local non-profit arts organizations. It coordinates the annual Golden Nail Awards that recognizes local and area individuals, businesses, foundations and volunteers who support the fine arts. The Arts Committee also provides financial assistance to local non-profit arts organizations. It sponsors a matching advertising program and maintains an arts events calendar. The Arts Committee manages an Art Airport Program on behalf of the City of Amarillo. The program invites artists to display works of art in the Rick Husband Amarillo International Airport terminal building and grounds. The Arts Committee co-sponsors the annual Jazztober Concerts held on Tuesdays in October on the Chamber grounds.
CONVENTION & VISITOR COUNCIL
Council Chair: Angela Knapp Eggers
Staff Liaison: Kashion Smith
Project Coordinator: Mary Ramirez
Council Members: By Appointment Only
Council Meets: Monthly—4th Wednesday, 8:30 am
COMMUNICATIONS COMMITTEE
Committee Chair: Coco Duckworth
Staff Liaison: Hope Stokes
Project Coordinator: Mary Ramirez
Committee Members: By Appointment Only
Committee Meets: Monthly-2nd Wednesday, 9:45 am
Description: This committee serves as a consulting and advisory committee in order to help determine the most effective advertising media for the promotion of conventions, events, tourism and the arts.
CONVENTION & TOURISM COMMITTEE
Committee Chair: TBD
Staff Liaisons: Kashion Smith, Hope Stokes & Stephanie Andrews
Project Coordinator: Mary Ramirez
Committee Members: Limited to those with specific interest in attracting and developing conventions, events & tourism in Amarillo.
Committee Meets: Monthly-2nd Wednesday, 8:30 am
Description: This committee's objectives are to attract conventions and tourists to Amarillo through a strong professional marketing program and to appraise the local area of the economic and legislative benefits that conventions, events and tourism have through ongoing convention-awareness program.
ARTS COMMITTEE
Committee Chair: Angela Knapp Eggers
Staff Liaison: Kashion Smith
Project Coordinator: Mary Ramirez
Committee Members: By Appointment Only
Committee Meets: Monthly-1st Tuesday, 11:00 am
Description: This committee promotes the arts in Amarillo and surrounding area through projects such as Golden Nail Awards, co-sponsors the Airport Art Program with the City of Amarillo, coordinates the Matching Advertising Program, co-sponsors Jazztober, coordinates a new arts video, and provides financial assistance for non-profit arts entities.
AMARILLO SPORTS COMMISSION
Commission Chair: Tony Freeman
Staff Liaison: Kashion Smith & Stephanie Andrews
Project Coordinator: Mary Ramirez
Committee Meets: The first Monday of each quarter.
Description: The Amarillo Sports Commission concentrates on improving the area economy through sports. This is being accomplished by having sport facility owners meet with event rights holders, discuss current issues and coordinate events to assist local sports while also opening opportunities to bring in new events.
Council Chair: Angela Knapp Eggers
Staff Liaison: Kashion Smith
Project Coordinator: Mary Ramirez
Council Members: By Appointment Only
Council Meets: Monthly—4th Wednesday, 8:30 am
COMMUNICATIONS COMMITTEE
Committee Chair: Coco Duckworth
Staff Liaison: Hope Stokes
Project Coordinator: Mary Ramirez
Committee Members: By Appointment Only
Committee Meets: Monthly-2nd Wednesday, 9:45 am
Description: This committee serves as a consulting and advisory committee in order to help determine the most effective advertising media for the promotion of conventions, events, tourism and the arts.
CONVENTION & TOURISM COMMITTEE
Committee Chair: TBD
Staff Liaisons: Kashion Smith, Hope Stokes & Stephanie Andrews
Project Coordinator: Mary Ramirez
Committee Members: Limited to those with specific interest in attracting and developing conventions, events & tourism in Amarillo.
Committee Meets: Monthly-2nd Wednesday, 8:30 am
Description: This committee's objectives are to attract conventions and tourists to Amarillo through a strong professional marketing program and to appraise the local area of the economic and legislative benefits that conventions, events and tourism have through ongoing convention-awareness program.
ARTS COMMITTEE
Committee Chair: Angela Knapp Eggers
Staff Liaison: Kashion Smith
Project Coordinator: Mary Ramirez
Committee Members: By Appointment Only
Committee Meets: Monthly-1st Tuesday, 11:00 am
Description: This committee promotes the arts in Amarillo and surrounding area through projects such as Golden Nail Awards, co-sponsors the Airport Art Program with the City of Amarillo, coordinates the Matching Advertising Program, co-sponsors Jazztober, coordinates a new arts video, and provides financial assistance for non-profit arts entities.
AMARILLO SPORTS COMMISSION
Commission Chair: Tony Freeman
Staff Liaison: Kashion Smith & Stephanie Andrews
Project Coordinator: Mary Ramirez
Committee Meets: The first Monday of each quarter.
Description: The Amarillo Sports Commission concentrates on improving the area economy through sports. This is being accomplished by having sport facility owners meet with event rights holders, discuss current issues and coordinate events to assist local sports while also opening opportunities to bring in new events.
